Pho Real: Locals Only Vietnam

Like many of my food experiences in Vietnam, I had certain expectations -- based on the foundations of both flavor and quality -- this included my previous knowledge of Vietnam's most popular dish, pho noodle soup. While we were obligated (poor us) to try a fair amount of breakfast bowls brimmed with green onions, bean sprouts and the iconic pho broth, I didn't expect it to be nearly as challenging to find stalls and vendors that maintained a high level of merit throughout the country. As it turns out, many of the dishes we consumed labeled pho, were not pho, but caloric liquid portions of energy, a means of continuing through the morning or afternoon's work or activities. The real deal requires some searching, some patience, some waiting in line, and often recommendations from locals or other pho-natics.

Here's the pho-down (how many cheesy jokes is one mortal allowed??), which doesn't include Saigon or the south of Vietnam because I wasn't there long enough to paint an accurate picture, however their pho tends to lean more towards the central's version and preparation.

Pho Hanoi

In the North it's different, perhaps you could even label them purists. All along the slim and lengthy Vietnamese territory you'll find roadside makeshift restaurants that specialize in "pho Hanoi." To many, it's considered sacrilegious to "mess" too much with a good thing. The broth - based on a mixture of anise, cinnamon, clove, cassia bark and garlic - is the star of the show, the beef slices the best actor in a leading role and the bare minimum of fixins' the best actress in a supporting role.

Important disclosure: The 1st and 15th of the lunar month, the majority of the vendors serve vegetarian versions of their typical service or don't show up to work at all (primarily practice of Mahayana Buddhists). Plan your food tour accordingly.

Also, pho is most traditionally consumed as a breakfast food, although some prefer it as an anytime snack. This however entails that many of the best and freshest pho can be found at stalls serving between 7am-10am, perhaps only till 9am when they run out of a particular product. Keep in mind and be prepared to set the alarm - the early bird gets the worm.